Ask yourself this question “Why is kindness important in this day and age?”

Some people see kindness as a sign of weakness and naivety and that to be successful requires a ruthless streak and hardness of mind to stamp out the competition. They see kindness as something that puts you at an immediate disadvantage in life and gets in the way of achieving your goals. This type of skewed thinking only adds to the stress and troubles of this modern age making people bitter cold and unfeeling. Through simple acts of kindness every day we can make life easier not just for ourselves but for those around us, lessen stress and create a better atmosphere at work and school as well as a more relaxed environment for all.

“But how can we show kindness? “You may ask. We can show kindness by being generous and hospitable, helping others in need and always seeking to do what is right rather than being selfish and seeking personal gain. Always be virtuous in your actions and question your motivations behind everything you say and do.

Though it is more and more difficult to show kindness and compassion in this modern age as well as choosing the right path at times the rewards for doing so in the long run are far more bountiful therefore it is very important as a parent to help build kindness as an important character in your child. This can be achieved by teaching them right from wrong, by giving them the appropriate role models as well as being an appropriate role model. By showing kindness and compassion in your everyday life you can set an example and inspire your child to practice kindness.

As said by Charlie Chaplain in one of his most memorable roles in the 1940s movie the dictator: “Our Knowledge has made us cynical our cleverness has made us hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness, without these qualities life will be violent and all will be lost.”

James Guinnevan Seymour
Character Education Teacher